Rachel Crow, Content Editor on Period Living magazine, chooses her 5 Festival Favourites

Sabine Nemet- I love the simple, rustic appeal of Sabine’s wood fired and soda glazed stoneware pieces, which reveal the story of the firing and the path of the flame through the kiln. The effects of this ancient, labour-intensive process are incomparable. Decorated with the imprint of natural motifs of leaves and flowers, Sabine’s pots, jars, bowls and more are both functional and beautiful, and you just want to reach out and touch them.

Sam Pickard – Sam’s range of hand screen-printed fabric designs – rustic roses that tumble across the fabric, creeping vines and ivy in vivid hues, or hares caught in quiet contemplation – capture the natural beauty of her Devon surroundings. The starting point of all of her designs are her intricate botanical and wildlife drawings and paintings, which she transfers onto cushions, screens, fabrics and other homeware and accessories - just stunning.

Cat in the Shoe – I simply adore the whimsical creations of textile artist Lucy Brasher, AKA Cat in the Shoe. Made by hand and machine using reclaimed and re-purposed fabrics, her little dolls and creatures are influenced by fables, folklore, and a healthy dose of imagination. I’m sure that each has an intriguing story to tell…

Alice Blogg – From her workshop in rural Dorset, designer maker Alice Blogg creates elegant furniture and accessories from sustainable British timber. Ranging from free flowing, tactile lampshades, hand-turned bowls, to linear tables, or desks with perfectly executed dovetail joints, while contemporary her designs also bear the hallmarks of historic or mid-century influences. One of a handful of female furniture makers, she is a talent to watch.

Amy Isles Freeman – Amy’s hand turned and hand-painted wooden bowls and pots are functional works of art. Having graduated from art school in 2014, she works from a converted cattle shed in Cornwall creating her colourful, joyous pieces, decorated with patterns that celebrate femininity and female sexuality, combined with tropical botanical motifs. She is supported in this year’s Start Up category of the festival, and I can’t wait to see more of her designs.